Washington Ave pub known for burgers and beer has closed, will become an event venue

Popular pub known for burgers and beer closes, will become event space

One of the more popular destinations near Washington Avenue for good burgers and craft beer suddenly closed on Wednesday.

F.E.E.D. TX, the restaurant group that owns five locations of Liberty Kitchen, announced that it closed BRC Gastropub after service on Wednesday and will convert it to an event space (the Houston Press reported the closing first). The company issued a statement that reads:

"We are often told by our guests that they wish we had larger private event rooms and did catering. This space will allow us to design events that marry our signature culinary offerings with their personal wishes. There has been a shortage of smaller event spaces that have a unique feel. We feel that this will fill a need for something more individualized and personal that people are looking for. The decision to take the space in this direction is part of the evolution of F.E.E.D TX as we continue to develop new concepts and distinctive venues.

"We want to thank all our loyal BRC guests for their patronage. And look forward to seeing them at a new address in the future. Our goal is to find a perfect neighborhood location that serves great food and a curated selection of local and imported beers and ales. And yes, the BRC will go along for the ride!"

When it opened in 2010, BRC's 28 taps made it among the first restaurants in the city to embrace the now ubiquitous craft beer trend. The menu, developed by chefs Lance Fegen and Jeff Axline (who would later go on to Brooklyn Athletic and Hotel ZaZa, among others), would pave the way for Liberty Kitchen's signature comfort food with well-regarded takes on burgers, mac and cheese, and more. The name, a cheeky acronym for Big Red Cock that came complete with a large red rooster statue in front of the restaurant, could elicit either groans or a laugh depending on one's sense of humor.

Opening a dedicated space for catering and events puts F.E.E.D. TX squarely in the midst of an emerging new trend for Houston restaurant groups. In February, Gr8 Plate Hospitality closed its farm to table restaurant Paul's Kitchen to turn it into The Merrill House event space. Similarly, Clark/Cooper Concepts operates The Dunlavy on Buffalo Bayou as both a restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch and an event space in the evenings.

Whether or not the company's plans to relocate the restaurant come to fruition, F.E.E.D. TX will stay busy. Having just opened the Garden Oaks location of Liberty Kitchen in June, it will soon open a Memorial-area outpost in the MetroNational Treehouse building this fall.